Archive for February, 2009

The Chesapeake Bay is having a crisis with ever increasing pollution affecting the quality of the water and the appeal of the bay. The Chesapeake Bay has been inundated with nitrogen as a result of agricultural runoff, septic system leakage, runoff from roadways, development, residential and commercial fertilizers and air deposition from factories. The vast majority of the nitrogen problem contributing to the Chesapeake Bay water pollution is from agricultural sources. Over 40% of all the nitrogen and 50% of all the phosphorus that runs into the Chesapeake Bay comes from agricultural sources. Many large scale feed lots and farms such as poultry farms, pig farms, and cattle farms are located in the Shenandoah and Potomac watershed area and contribute to the Chesapeake Bay water pollution problems in a big way. On Maryland’s Eastern shore chicken outnumber humans 1000 to 1 and the manure and wastes that come from such massive chicken production in such a relatively small area places a heavy burden on the water by adding a considerable amount of nitrogen into the ground water and the Chesapeake Bay through run off. The large farms of pigs, cattle and chickens contribute more than 150% more waste that contribute to the Chesapeake Bay water pollution than humans do.

Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are vital for the growth of living organism in the Chesapeake Bay and all bodies of water. But if there is too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water it causes serious problems resulting in Chesapeake Bay water pollution. The most pressing problem that causes Chesapeake Bay water pollution is excessive amounts of nitrogen. Too much nitrogen leads to what is called a “dead zone” where algae build up and blocks sunlight from getting to the underwater grasses. The algae consumes so much oxygen that the oxygen levels of the water are reduced resulting in the death of fish and shellfish. The algae also prevents the sunlight from shining through to where the underwater grasses grow causing them to die, which further reduces the amount of oxygen in the water. This is a vicious cycle that must be dealt with in order to clear up the Chesapeake Bay water pollution problem. The Chesapeake Bay used to have a vast amount of grasses surrounding it that acted as a filter to protect the Bay from pollution. As a result of land development many of these filters have been stripped away and now pollution flows into the Bay undiluted to further add to the Chesapeake Bay water pollution situation. The Chesapeake is now so heavily polluted that it ranks among the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) dirtiest waters. On a scale from 0 to 100, the Chesapeake Bay scored only a 27 due to the Chesapeake Bay water pollution problem. To protect the problem and reverse the Chesapeake Bay water pollution manure must be controlled, cover crops need to be planted, and buffer strips must be installed and maintained to better protect the Bay.

The toilet is probably the one household piece of equipment that is of most importance to us. As important as it is to us, it is also an item that uses a lot of water and electricity and expels a lot of waste into our environment. Every day people are trying to learn how to build a composting toilet. A composting toilet is an earth-friendly alternative to what we all have become accustomed to, a toilet that wastes a lot of water.

Composting toilets are a great way to help the environment and are being used more and more today by eco-minded individuals. They are also being used by some large businesses. Although a big fear of many is that they’ll look and smell unsanitary, this has not been the case at all. With properly vented fans and clean bathrooms, many don’t even realize it is a composting toilet. These are often used in large public facilities. Once people learned how to build a composting toilet that was usable, many have followed suit in this effort to save water and work towards a better environment.

When learning how to build a composting toilet, there are some factors that need to be kept in mind. Regardless of what type of composting toilet you choose to build, your toilet must have some sort of vent and you may also want to have a fan as well. There are two main types of composting toilets. One is a free standing/self contained toilet which holds and stores the composting waste in one unit. This type of composting toilet can sit freely on the bathroom floor.

The other type of composting toilet is a split unit. This style has a separate compartment for the waste and it sits lower than the actual commode or toilet. The separate storage compartment is lower so it can be easily removed. Some split composting toilets are made so they can be flushed with foam or a small amount of water. Most people that are just learning how to build a composting toilet choose this style because it’s the simplest yet it’s very efficient.

Composting toilets are frequently used in homes that have little access to water such as you’d see in an area filled with drought or other low water areas. If you’re interested in learning how to build a composting toilet, there are many directions you can find online in one of our many sites or at your local library. Learning how to build a composting toilet and doing it successfully will leave you with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in knowing you’re doing your part in “going green”.

For homeowners that want to do their own repairs and maintenance finding air conditioning parts and supplies can be a challenge. There are several options that range from working directly with the manufacturer or the retailer to obtain the necessary air conditioning parts to ordering online or through repair service companies.

Air conditioning parts, like automotive parts, are not all interchangeable, which can make purchasing items a bit challenging at times. There are some air conditioning parts that can be used on multiple types of brands or models, however many of the parts are unique to one particular type of unit. In addition different sizes of units will required different parts including even universal items like hoses, clamps and fans. Purchasing and installing the wrong air conditioning parts may cause more damage to the unit when you turn it on and can also create a hazard if the Freon or coolant is released into the air.

Whether you are purchasing the air conditioning parts in person at a repair shop or over the internet there are some basic pieces of information you will need. The first is the model and brand name of the air conditioning unit that is undergoing repair. It is important to know the brand to get the right type of part but the model number is also essential. In addition you should know if it is a window mount, through the wall, forced air, high velocity air or portable air conditioning unit. If you are purchasing in person, if at all possible, bring the old or damaged part with you and make a physical comparison. If the part is not identical it may not fit within your unit even it appears to be almost identical. This is particularly true for fan blades and cooling grids or fins that may not fit within the housing or bracket if they are even just a bit different in shape or design.

When purchasing air conditioning parts on the internet be aware of exactly what part you are looking for. If possible get the manufacturers part number and use that when ordering. Going to the air conditioner’s manufacturers website can be very helpful in determining the correct name and part number for the item you are replacing. Be sure to check the websites return policy and make sure it is secure website before providing any credit card or personal information. Watch also for the company’s refund policy and if they pay return shipping or if shipping and handling or restocking fees are deducted from your refund.

As time goes on, what used to work in the pollution department is becoming outdated and not quite as efficient. New pollution control efforts have recently tightened up their standards in order to remove higher amounts of pollution from overly-populated cities and countries that are now surrounded by acid rain, smog, toxic contamination, potential health risks, and increases in cancer and respiratory illnesses—all which are contributing to global warming. Recent changes in new pollution control efforts are the results of a previous national pollution and greenhouse gas emissions overview.

The numbers showed high nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, in addition to greenhouse gases—all part of the focus of the Clean Air Act—while in Canada they are regulated as toxic substances under the Canada Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), who also regulates toxic chemicals such as mercury and lead. Numbers in Canada were increasingly high with the latest survey, with the CEPA stepping up to bat this year with new developments for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants under their new plan, “Turning the Corner Plan.” This new regime in Canada is considered the absolute toughest regulatory in the world to reduce greenhouse gases to 20% by 2050, requiring action by all areas—Canada’s federal government, provinces, industry, municipalities, and the average Canadian citizens.

Two key components of the Canada’s new plan are the “Credit for Early Action Program” and the “Offset System,” with the plan’s regulations to be finalized by 2009 and coming into play by January 1, 2010. Additionally, the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOC) will be regulated in specific products, with VOCs considered a precursor pollutant that contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone and particulate matter—both primary ingredients of smog. This plan had begun on October 21, 2006, with a Notice of Intent which allowed them to develop an approach that would regulate air pollutant emissions and industrial greenhouse gases. On April 26, 2007, they unveiled their “Turning the Corner” plan to do as such, in addition to outlining regulatory measures: (1) to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, (2) actions on consumer and commercial products, and (3) actions to improve indoor air quality.

On the other side of the coin is the rapidly developing air pollution from East Asia, containing large amounts of brown carbon particles with no atmospheric models that can incorporate its effects. The only types of climate models being used presently are organic carbon and black carbon, that which arises from the burning of biomass or fossil fuels. Meanwhile, black carbon absorbs light and warms the atmosphere while organic carbon absorbs light and has no warming effect, absorbing at a negligible level.

Many people are making the switch from large, bulky and heavy tube televisions in favor of flat-panel displays and televisions. Typically, consumers have a choice between high energy plasma displays and LCD displays. However, there is a big difference in the amount of energy that these devices use in the 6 or more hours that these devices are typically operated in any given day. In fact, during the mid-’aughts, televisions are estimated to account for about 5% of the typical North American energy budget. Saving that power is not only an environmental issue but also, one of simple economics.

At diagonal dimensions of less than 40 inches, LCD televisions use far less power than their plasma counterparts. Over this size, however, projection televisions are considered the most energy efficient choice, using just a fraction of the power of the other two options. This is true of computer displays as well as televisions.

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All right, enough of this hippy-dippy nonsense. It’s time to stop talking about how to solve the problems of environmental pollution, a phenomenon that, according to recent reports from the World Health Organization and the World Bank, is responsible for the death of one in five people around the world every year. That’s just not fast enough! If all of us work together, we can help to cause environmental pollution to the point where we can shave entire decades, even centuries off of the lifetime of human beings on this planet. So let’s get started!

Step #1: Increase Your Carbon Footprint.

Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide gas that you release into the environment every day, just by virtue of existing. Since carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere is the single biggest cause of global warming through the greenhouse effect, a positive carbon footprint means that you’re releasing more carbon into the atmosphere than the environment can compensate for through natural means. In the United States, one household uses up an average of 19 metric tons of carbon gas every year, gas that remains trapped in the sky, slowly heating up the planet, melting the polar ice caps, and making the world hotter and harder to live in every moment.

You can do far better than that! If you’re carpooling or biking to work, stop immediately and buy an SUV. Buy one for every member of your family. Drive everywhere you go, even to your next-door neighbor’s house: why should you take any responsibility for the environment? Are we trying to cause environmental pollution here or aren’t we?

Step #2: Consume, Consume, Consume.

Plastic is one of the most common materials used in consumer goods, and one of the most difficult to create. To create a plastic housing, to package it, and to ship it to a store near you costs massive amounts of petroleum, earthly riches that can never be renewed in your lifetime. Increase the rate of petroleum consumption by buying as much as you can–the more worthless the product, the better! Buy so much that the store runs out of inventory and has to order more. Manufacturing will go up and fossil fuels will go down! As a bonus, more waste products will be dumped into the water and air–now that’s how to cause environmental pollution!

Step #3: Ignore All Advice Contrary To This Guide.

If lawmakers in the United States can do it, so can you! Any piece of information you can get–information about exactly how deadly environmental pollution is, exactly why we need to care about it, and exactly why we need to take action today in our daily lives to stop environmental pollution–is going to slow you down in your goal, which is to cause environmental pollution. So stop reading and learning–right now!

Stop learning! That’s the best way, after all, to cause environmental pollution.

Every car is equipped with an emissions control system that works to minimize the hazardous materials produced by your vehicle during operation. The newer your vehicle the more sophisticated the emissions control system is likely to be, with the older vehicles having very limited systems.

There are several components to your vehicles emissions control system, with each part working together to keep your car operating as cleanly as possible. The first part of the emissions control system is the computer that monitors the content of the exhaust produced by the engine. When fuel to air ratios are incorrect the engine is not working at peak efficiency and will produce a lot more hydrocarbons. The emission control system automatically notes this inefficiency and signals the air and fuel intakes to adjust, correcting any problems in the ratio and resulting in a cleaner and more efficient motor. This is all done in real time as the engine is operating, and the driver and passengers are not aware of these constant adjustments and monitoring of the system.

Another part of the emissions control system in your vehicle is the catalytic converter. This is a part of the exhaust system that is located just before the muffler and acts as an additional area where carbon monoxide can be oxidized into water and carbon dioxide. The catalytic converter is designed like a radiator, with a mesh or honeycomb appearance that allows maximum contact of the exhaust with the platinum or palladium in the catalytic converter, resulting in the oxidation as the hydrocarbons touch the metals. During this oxidation process heat is released, resulting in the catalytic converter becoming very hot, sometimes hot enough to almost glow when the exhaust is very dirty and contains high levels of hydrocarbons. When the catalytic converter overheats, this also sends a signal to the car’s computer through the emission control system, resulting in a signal to the driver by a light on the dash or a computer systems test result in newer models.

The third major components in an emissions control system are the various valves located along the exhaust system and during the actual burning of the fuel through combustion. These valves all have to continue to work at the right time and in the right balance to provide optimum performance for the engine. Drivers of newer model vehicles have the luxury of having these valves monitored by the computer on the vehicle, helping with diagnostic tests when fuel mileage and performance is poor. Some of the new models of vehicles even directly email owners with a performance print out that can be taken to a mechanic or even emailed to your repair shop or dealership to keep on file for your next scheduled tune up.

Most North Americans are now familiar with the term “factory-farmed meat.” Though somewhat rhetorical in its use, it is an accurate way to describe the process that has become “conventional” ranching and animal husbandry. There are, of course, many concerns from a humane treatment standpoint, but the pollution concerns from such operations are equally, if not more, compelling.

Consider what happens when you put several thousand cows together who are not part of the same herd. First and foremost, you get a lot of animal waste – enough to fill entire “lagoons” with the stuff. This is rarely, if ever, given much in the way of treatment before being put into the nearby environment. Such lagoons often overflow into river systems during storms, especially in states and provinces without regulation.

The practice of “finishing” these animals on grains allows them to fatten up before slaughter. It also changes their intestinal pH, allowing them to be susceptible to dangerous organisms such as E. coli and others. These grains are also far more likely to be contaminated with heavy metals and PCBs than pasture.
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All types of environmental degradation share a common root. In the case of erosion, one might be surprised how various types of pollution lead to erosion and visa-versa.

In this difficult cycle, these depletion-prone soils are unable to support more than the barest minimum of plant life. Due to subsequent erosion nearby forest are being opening up new forest lands to “agriculture.” Often this is in conjunction with very regular tillage and pesticides, causing the soil to be less able to stay put, making it far more mobile and liable to run-off with the first rainstorm.

The soils that are runoff into streams as silt often mixes with soils that are heavily contaminated with heavy metals, dioxins and PCBs, to name just a few major contaminants that make these eroded soils unsuitable to be reapplied to soils. As pollution falls from the sky, soil surfaces must sometimes be scraped away and treated, if treatment is even possible.

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With major water reservoirs drying up in the Southeast, the United States government is projecting that within the next five years over 38 of its states will face serious water shortages. And of the water that will remain, today’s serious issues will influence our future unless we find successful ways to control water pollution—or it will eventually disrupt life on our planet as we know if we do not. The sources of water pollution are varied– ranging widely from waste, excess, population growth, urban growth, increasing temperatures, and increasing flooding and drought. And each source requires an individual solution to develop a correct answer.

Requiring responsibility and involvement in the problems of water pollution, every human who lives on this planet needs to become knowledgeable about their local water resources. Ways to control water pollution should be something everyone practices in order to combat harmful wastes which eventually end up in sewage treatment plants or landfills. Adequate water planning needs to be boldly approached regarding ways to control water pollution—conservation, recycling, desalination, and stricter controls—in order to keep adequate water supplies for our future generations. Over $300 billion dollars are estimated by our government for upgrading pipes in the United States to handle a newer and more reliable water supply system for the country. The days of cheap water are over.

One way to control water pollution is to carefully observe which nutrients are needed on the yard before fertilizers are applied, wisely choosing alternatives methods. If fertilizers are applied, make sure they do not run off into nearby surface waters, also keeping any type of pet waste, leaves, litter, and plant residue out of storm drains or gutters. Planting trees and brushes to hold back flooding areas and slopes help maintain water in much needed areas, used throughout the world for not only ways to control water pollution but also to conserve natural wildlife habitats.

The United States is not the only country struggling in ways to control water pollution. The country of Australia is in a 30-year dry spell, with the urban centers of sub-Saharan Africa’s population growth straining their natural reserve levels. And believe it or not, Asia has over 60% of the entire world’s population with only 30% of the world’s fresh water. What needs to happen to avoid environmental collapse on a world level is for developing and under-developed countries to work together for workable ways to control water pollution, utilizing methods to prevent any more environmental problems as industries grow.

Strategies involving conservation methods are slowly becoming acceptable, with the world’s population realizing they do not have to be comfortless just because energy is being conserved. Advancing technology is helping these two ends of the spectrum meet in a comfortable manner, with important ways to control water pollution involving forms of cooperation among global countries and their people.